n 1987, when Middlesex Community College opened a campus in Lowell, Carole Cowan, then serving as Dean of

Administrative Services, saw an opportunity for the college to expand its horizons internationally.

"All you have to do is look at the demographics of a city like Lowell and you know that your faculty are going to have to be prepared to teach students that come to us from all over the world," said Cowan.

President Cowan's early efforts to internationalize the faculty would not only better serve the diverse community of Lowell, but would have a great and positive impact on student success overall.

"This was a time in which the U.S. economy was becoming a global economy," said Cowan. "We knew our graduates were going to be getting jobs in companies that were doing business all over the world. It would disadvantage them if they didn't have a good understanding of the economies of the world and experience different world cultures."

International education began originally as opportunities for faculty to participate in summer seminars focusing on different cultures. It later expanded to include other professional development opportunities, teacher exchanges, and student travel.